broken water fitting

...The fitting you refer to, on Most engines; is pressed in! There are two ways you can get it out! After getting all accesories out of your way, and SOAKING the remaining piece over-night with WD-40; you can: 1. With a small STEEL cutting chisel and hammer, you must acurately cut a slit down the inside of the tubing, being careful not to damage the block or you will have to use a good sealer to get the new fitting to seal properly. This will loosen the rusted piece up enough to be pulled out with a pair of needle nose pliers. Be Careful NOT to let the broken piece fall down into the water pump. 2. On a 'Tapping Extension' or using a Cresent(adjustable) or an 'open end' wrench; you can Tap/Thread down inside of the tubing with the proper sised Tap and pull the piece out with a Bolt, Channel Locks or Vise grips. There are also devices called 'Easy-Outs' that can screw down, get a grip on, and pull out the part, but these don't work perfect on thin walled tubing. As rusty as it must be; it shouldn't put up much of a fight, all you have to do is try! Good-Luck with it, let us know how you make out!

My new block didn't have one, so I tapped the hole and used a threaded hose connector. I think I have one in brass and stainless steel. If you're interested I can send the tap and hose connectors to you. You might be able to loosen it by driving it down (just a little)with the proper diameter socket, pipe or whatever and then pull it up.(You might want to stuff a rag down the hole to catch any bits and pieces).

Marlin
I'll try the soak/chisel method tomorrow--what really concerns me is the rest of the engine parts that are in the cooling system that may possible fail--I have replaced radiator--hoses--water pump--and inspected all the metal tubing running under the car--but items like freeze plugs?--anyone else have this happen--and how many freeze plugs should I be looking for--probably some behind the bellhousing--I really don't want to pull this motor right now

mark

Husker

If I drive it further into the block I think I will have a more difficult time retrieving it--but I will use your method of tapping the block and installing a brass fitting for the repair--I have the tap and I will stuff a rag in the hole to catch the metal. I stuck a 3/8 extension in the hole and it bottoms out at about 1 1/2 inches--the material left in the hose is about 1 inch--I imaging the part in the block is about 1 inch. A 9/16 drill bit seems like it fits snugly--I might try to lightly tap that into the block and try to pull out the remains of the fitting--I'll let you know the outcome

...My second suggestion was to 'Tap' into the rusted piece, itself! Before you can cut threads; the tubing will just spin out! Soaking it overnight in WD-40 is the key. There are NO freeze plugs behind the Bellhousing, only a Cam Plug and one or two screw-in plugs(oil). This kind of rusting could have been prevented or slowed by the use of Preston Anti freeze/boil. It carries a rust inhibitor...

Soak with Blaster--then hammer/chisel then needlenose pliers did the trick--it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
thanks

mark

Marlin

I got the car last year--after changing the radiator and putting in your heater shutoff valves (thanks)I changed the antifreeze. This fitting was just 30+ years old and failed. I'll install a brass replacement--now about those freeze plugs--can they be accessed with the engine in the car--might as well replace them now and not have the AAA ride home again

mark

...The REAR freeze plug IS accessible, on Each side, with the engine still in the car. The other Four are under the Motor Mounts. The only way you could possibly work on them, would be to remove/loosen the Transaxle mounts, Jack-Up(on wood blocks) the Engine and TransAxle and disconnect the engine mounts from the block. To gain more room, you may have to take the Aluminum mounts off of the chassis. To get the old freese plugs out you just hit them on one side with a drift(solid rod) and a hammer to turn them sideways then you can pull them out with pliers. You will want to clean the bores with a 'light' sanding with fine emery cloth. Use sealer and snug fitting socket and hammer or press the new plug in. Yes. I don't like to hammer on my tools either, use a piece of round scrap. When my brother froze his block up in the sierra mountains and boiled over down in Bishop, Ca. because he had lost a couple of freeze plugs; I drove out to his rescue. The two plugs were Near INaccessible! We used the Rubber Plugs with the Steel top plate and a tightening nut in the center. You slip it in, tighten the nut and add coolant. These go in with NO sealer. I consider them a temporary repair for an Emergency, and there is not enough clearance to get them past the Block Motor Mounts. For the 351C they are 1 1/2" Dia. Looks like your in for a week-end project, but you'll have piece of mind on that next long drive.

yup--a weeks worth of enjoyment--its back to work tomorrow